NEWS

On Tuesday, August 7th, BP Oddo joined with staff at Richmond University Medical Center to cut the ribbon on the hospital’s new cardiac rehab facility. Cardiac rehab is a medically supervised program consisting of exercise training. It is recommended for patients who have had a heart attack, bypass surgery, heart failure, and other cardiovascular disease. RUMC’s cardiac rehab will also include educational programming on maintaining a healthy diet, smoking cessation, pulmonary rehab, and other services.

There has been no cardiac rehab facility on Staten Island for several years, forcing recovering heart patients to go to other boroughs or New Jersey for this important service. The initial request to open a cardiac rehab on Staten Island came out of one of BP Oddo’s Heart Health Roundtables in 2016. BP Oddo then worked with those in the health and wellness community to turn this idea into a reality.

To get the programs up and running, BP Oddo allocated $250,000 of taxpayer money to both of the hospitals to start their own cardiac rehab programs. Staten Island University Hospital opened up their own cardiac rehab facility in June.

BP Oddo said, "Two years ago, we had no such facility on Staten Island, and now we have two serving our borough. This the most recent example of how good things happen when we put people in a room at Borough Hall, and we have fierce conversations."

On Monday, August 6th, Borough President James Oddo joined with representatives of the Department of Education at South Richmond High School to announce his funding allocations for air conditioning in several Island schools. The funding is part of over $17,000,000 of taxpayer money BP Oddo allocated to educational projects in Fiscal Year ’19.

As part of his capital funding, BP Oddo allocated $80,000 to P.S. 3 and $250,000 to P.S. 52 for air conditioning. He also allocated expense funding to Catholic Charities to fund air conditioning for P.S. 25/South Richmond High School ($6,000) and Tender Care Preschool ($11,000), which are both on the campus of Mount Loretto. This brings the total allocation for air conditioning for FY ’19 to $347,000.

“We’ve experienced some recent heat waves, which have highlighted the importance of having our students learn in a cool, comfortable environment. Air conditioning is especially important for students in special needs programs that operate year-round,” said BP Oddo. “Education is, as it should be, the priority of my administration. Every scientific and social advancement stems from a well-educated citizenry, which is why I dedicated such a large percentage of the taxpayer dollars at my disposal to Staten Island schools. I’m pleased to be able to allocate funding to so many school projects this year.”

“Borough President Oddo has been a champion for students on Staten Island, and we are thankful for his continued support,” said Kevin Moran, Executive Director, Staten Island Field Support Center. “Through collaboration with the Borough Student Advisory Committee, BP Oddo has heard the needs of our schools directly from students and is meeting needs with additional resources.”

“I just want to thank Borough President Oddo and the Department of Education for ensuring that our most special kids have a comfortable place to learn during these hot summer months. It has already been put to great use this year,” said Vincent Ignizio, CEO of Catholic Charities of Staten Island.

"Once again, our Borough President Jim Oddo understands the concerns for children with special needs and has responded," said James McKeon, Principal of P.S. 25/South Richmond High School.

Funding comes at the request of the principals of each school, so all funding goes towards specific projects the school needs or wants.

​Borough President James Oddo is pleased to announce that he is joining with the Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation and City Council Minority Leader Steven Matteo to collect backpacks and school supplies for needy Staten Island families. Donations of brand new children’s backpacks, folders, crayons, markers, non-toxic glue sticks, notebooks, #2 pencils, construction paper, and other new school supplies will be accepted.

Items can be dropped off in the Borough Hall lobby (10 Richmond Terrace) as well as at Minority Leader Matteo’s District Office (900 South Avenue, Suite 403) from 9am-5pm, Monday through Friday until Friday, August 17th. Volunteers from the Atlas Foundation will then distribute the items to families in need. Donations will also be accepted directly at the Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation Office (543 Cary Avenue).

“I want to thank the Atlas Foundation for collaborating with us again this year on this drive, which will help many young students across the Island,” noted BP Oddo. “It is necessary for children to have the proper supplies in order to achieve academic success. My office is happy to be a part of this initiative, and we appreciate all the Staten Islanders who donate to help the less fortunate in our community.”

"This year we are partnering with Teddy Atlas and his great foundation to collect backpacks and other supplies for children in our communities, so that they will have the essential tools they need to be successful students,” Minority Leader Steven Matteo said. “I am grateful that our neighbors on Staten Island have made our school supply drive a success in past years, and I am confident they will once again step up to help."

“The bell is about to ring for the beginning of a new school year, and the Dr. Atlas Foundation is proud to join forces with Borough President James Oddo and Minority Leader Matteo to make sure all of Staten Island’s students will be able to ‘come out writing’ when the ‘round’ of learning begins,” said Teddy Atlas of the Dr. Theodore A. Atlas Foundation.

Borough President James Oddo has joined with the de Blasio Administration to announce a partnership that will bring a new program aimed at addressing high blood pressure to barbershops along the North Shore of Staten Island.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is often referred to as the “silent killer” because it may not show symptoms before causing a heart attack or stroke. Hypertension is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke among New Yorkers; more than one in four adult New Yorkers is diagnosed with high blood pressure. In New York City, the prevalence of hypertension is 1.5 times higher among African American adults than white adults, and African American men in particular have a significantly higher rate of hypertension than white men. Under the program, New York City’s Health and Mental Hygiene department will work with BP Oddo to address the high blood pressure rates among African American men.

Individuals in communities with high health disparities have historically struggled to access care. One way experts have sought to overcome this challenge is by partnering with community spaces to conduct outreach. One program BP Oddo is familiar with is the Men’s Health Initiative, led by Dr. Joseph Ravenell at NYU’s Langone Health. The program has brought together a diverse group of research assistants, community health workers, and volunteers—including barbers—to barbershops in various neighborhoods across New York City to take blood pressure readings of African American men and connect those who are at risk of hypertension with medical care. The results of the program show a significant improvement in blood pressure among barbershop customers who participated. The proposed Staten Island program would reflect Dr. Ravenell’s program.

BP Oddo first discovered Dr. Joseph Ravenell’s work while reading “Who Can You Trust?” by Rachel Botsman. He subsequently watched Dr. Ravenell’s TED Talk on African American men and high blood pressure which detailed the barbershop pilot program. The TED Talk can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6zkeyM0D2s

BP Oddo invited Dr. Ravenell to Borough Hall for a meeting with his staff and local clergy in early June to talk about replicating the program on Staten Island.

“High blood pressure can lead to fatal consequences if left unchecked, and unfortunately, so many African American men don’t even know they have it,” said BP Oddo. “After reading about the issue, I became incredibly interested in Dr. Ravenell’s program and worked with my staff to figure out how we could replicate it successfully on Staten Island. I’m pleased that the Administration has joined with us to bring this program to life on the North Shore. I hope this program allows African American men in our community to learn more about the issue and take control of their health. Thank you to Dr. Ravenell for working with us to bring this innovative program to Staten Island.”

“High blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke – New York City’s top killers,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett. “High blood pressure is a common and dangerous condition that impacts an estimated 1.8 million New Yorkers. The Health Department recently launched a coalition of over 100 stakeholders focused on reducing the burden of high blood pressure citywide. I applaud Borough President Oddo and Mayor de Blasio for their attention to raising awareness of this condition among Staten Island residents.”

​On Staten Island, the number of hospitalizations related to hypertension are higher than other boroughs. The neighborhoods of St. George/Stapleton and Port Richmond have higher rates of hospitalization for high blood pressure than the city overall.

On Friday, July 27th, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced progress on new efforts at coordination among City agencies and utilities to avoid “street cuts” to freshly paved streets. ​“Street cuts annoy everyone, and we want to make sure they bother people after a fresh re-paving as little as possible,” said Mayor de Blasio. “We have done more to re-pave streets across Staten Island than ever before, and now this program will help keep freshly paved streets undisturbed for longer. We look forward to continue working with Borough President Oddo on this.”

Back in May, the Mayor had announced that New York City had paved 5,000 lane-miles since 2014; under the de Blasio Administration, nearly 786 lane miles have been paved on Staten Island, nearly half of the borough’s streets. Noting that progress, the Mayor had also acknowledged the frustration of elected leaders like Staten Island Borough President Jimmy Oddo, who had called on the City to better counter the incidence of freshly paved streets being reopened for utility work.

“I freely admit that I drive Staten Island at times solely to look for street cuts,” said Borough President Oddo. “This is how obsessive I have become over this issue. Why? For several reasons. They are literally undercutting one of the best things Mayor de Blasio has done during his tenure – our “Pave, Baby, Pave” campaign of historic levels of resurfacing of our streets. Street cuts waste taxpayer dollars. Street cuts rob our quality of life. Streets cuts are an example of poor planning, antiquated rule making, and a lack of coordination and collaboration. We can do much better. I value the ongoing dialogue I have had with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor Laura Anglin. The proposed changes are a good start. I have other specific suggestions I want to see implemented, and clearly we have more work to do. But, we have the attention of the Mayor. We have a very capable Deputy Mayor leading the undertaking, and finally we have a genuine effort to end the street cut status quo and bring about a more appropriate process that helps ensure we have better roads for a longer period of time.”

The Mayor noted progress since that initial announcement:

Street Cuts Policy Working Group – All City capital agencies, including Transportation (DOT), Environmental Protection (DEP) and Design and Construction (DDC) now meet monthly with senior representatives from utility companies to share plans and coordinate work. This group focuses on higher-level structural issues to maintain City policy of strongly discouraging any street cuts in the first two years after a given street is repaved by DOT -- including through emerging trenchless technologies and ensuring quality restoration.

Improved DEP/DOT Coordination – The agency that paves streets and the agency that is responsible for the City’s water systems are also coordinating their work, including by:· As part of a new pilot program on Staten Island, DEP will coordinate inspection and repair of its manholes and catch basins with DOT’s paving schedule. After a roadway is milled, DEP crews will use the two to three week period before repaving to inspect manholes and catch basins and make any necessary repairs. This will significantly reduce the need for DEP to open the roadway for a non-emergency repair during the two-year protected window.· DEP has increased staffing, hiring seven additional supervisors to work with DOT to better coordinate restoration of City streets.

Improved DEP/DDC Coordination Around Manhole Covers – Aging and defective manhole covers are among the most challenging of issues around paving and restoring streets. To address this challenge, DEP has procured 5 manhole restoration contracts with DDC. As part of this work, defective manhole covers and hardware will be repaired and/or replaced. In addition, manhole covers will be raised where necessary and defective areas around manholes will be restored. These contracts are valued at a total of $13.6 million, of which $2.75 million is dedicated to Staten Island.

Increased DDC work on Pedestrian Ramps – To increase accessibility, hundreds of sidewalk pedestrian ramps on Staten Island require construction or restoration. DDC’s pedestrian ramp contractor in Staten Island has agreed to implement final restoration upon completion of pedestrian ramps at all locations (i.e., no temporary restoration allowed). The FY18 Pedestrian contract just bid included such requirements and we have scheduled a Pre-Award with low bidder to make sure the bidder read and understands the new requirements will be fully enforced.

Other DEP Improvements as Part of Street Cut Coordination Efforts:· Begin using excavation markers to quickly identify any defects in DEP street cuts. · DEP will this month begin a pilot saw cutting of excavations in Staten Island for a smoother restoration of streets.· Maximize DEP in-house paving crews to address restorations: DEP has allocated and maximized in-house paving crews to address restorations.

Agency Coordination with National Grid – The utility that provides most of New York City’s natural gas, has provided the City with its comprehensive multi-year capital plan, which will allow for improved coordination with all City agencies going forward.

On Friday, July 27th, Mayor de Blasio announced new City funding to provide upgrades to the 9/11 Postcards Memorial in St. George, which honors the 274 Staten Island residents killed in the September 11th attacks of 2001 and in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. The funding came at the request of BP Oddo.

The new City funding will go towards needed repairs to the memorial, which was built in 2004. The City is providing $250,000 to upgrade the memorial’s electrical and lighting system. The funding will also go towards new marine-grade gel to protect and preserve the memorial from corrosion or other deterioration resulting from an outdoor climate. ​In 2017, BP Oddo held a ceremony honoring 66 dedicated first responders who lost their lives due to illnesses related to the September 11th attack by adding their names to the First Responders Memorial, which is adjacent to the Postcards Memorial. This year, the City honored the sacrifice of seven additional Staten Islanders and added their names to the memorial.

"The vision of former Borough President Jim Molinaro for a 9/11 memorial, along with Masa Sono’s unique architectural design of Postcards, was truly inspired; it is indeed the most special of places,” said Borough President James Oddo. “Mayor de Blasio and I recognize that we are the temporary stewards of this monument honoring the memory of those lost, and of the ongoing pledge to offer emotional support to their families. However, Postcards is in dire need of some TLC if it is to remain a pristine source of comfort, so I went to the Mayor and sought his financial help. His positive response was instantaneous and unwavering, and for that I am truly grateful."​“The Postcards Memorial is a sacred place. It gives comfort to survivors, victims’ families and visitors alike,” said Mayor de Blasio. “I heard the Borough President’s call to invest in the memorial’s upkeep so it can provide solace to our city for generations to come. We will always remember the sacrifices made on 9/11, and will work every day to live up to the memory of those we lost.”

​“The Postcard Memorial is a tribute to the individuals whose lives were lost in tragedy, offering small solace to families forever impacted on that day,” said NYCEDC President and CEO James Patchett. “This Administration is proud to have worked with Borough President Oddo to secure the funding that this memorial deserves, and to honor the lives of New Yorkers who were taken too soon.”

The Postcards Memorial was built and is maintained by the New York City Economic Development Corporation.

​On Friday, July 27th, BP Oddo joined Mayor Bill de Blasio, Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza, and Lorraine Grillo, President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York City School Construction Authority, as part of “City Hall in Your Borough” to announce that the City of New York will acquire the St. John Villa Academy Campus.

The approximately seven-acre property will be converted into a new public school space by the School Construction Authority (SCA). DOE and SCA are still working develop a proposal for the future educational campus. The new project is expected to provide over 1,000 new seats to children on Staten Island.

“This is a deeply bittersweet moment because the pain of the St. John Villa family is still palpable, and it will be that way for a long time. I recognize that,” said Borough President Oddo. “The closure of this school will never sit well with some, and I very much understand those deep emotions. As the person responsible to represent the 500,000 people of this borough, I knew what would be even worse than St. John Villa closing would be St. John Villa closing and this bastion of education reduced into an unwanted residential development. We have seen that regrettable scenario play out nearby in recent years. I am pleased the City has stepped up in a big way to acquire this precious space. I will do all I can to ensure the learning that takes place here in the future lives up to the rich tradition of educational excellence of St. John Villa.”

“Schools are sacred places that fundamentally help our kids achieve their full potential and bind our communities together,” said Mayor de Blasio. “This new state-of-the-art facility will allow more than 1,000 children the opportunity to access a high-quality education.”​“Today’s announcement is a big win for parents and students on Staten Island, and will bring hundreds of new high-quality seats to the area,” said Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza. “I’m looking forward to working with the Staten Island community to develop new, state-of-the-art facilities that will create new and exciting learning opportunities for our students.”

“New school buildings are a vital investment in our communities, and I am thrilled that we are going to be able support Staten Island families with this new campus,” said Lorraine Grillo, President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York City School Construction Authority. “This campus provides seven acres of space for us to build new school buildings that will meet the needs of students and ensure they have access to cutting edge facilities.”

The DOE will conduct community engagement over the next several months to get feedback from the community on the types of schools and programs that would best meet the needs of Staten Island. The DOE and SCA will then unveil a proposed plan and timeline for the new facility once the community engagement and final assessment of the condition of the current campus are complete.

On Thursday, July 26th, Borough President Oddo joined with DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg and DOT Borough Commissioner Tom Cocola as part of “City Hall in Your Borough” to announce the new configuration plan at the intersection of Clove Road and Howard Avenue. This short-term solution will eliminate the left turn lanes from Clove Road to both Tioga Street and Howard Avenue and re-align the intersection to create two through lanes in order to help traffic flow more easily and safely through this intersection.

After conducting a comprehensive survey of circulation at the Clove and Howard intersection, DOT determined this solution would be the best to temporarily ease the traffic problems. This is a short-term interim solution, which will be followed by a long-term capital project with a permanent solution.

“This is an issue I have been working with DOT to find a solution for since 2014, so I’m pleased to see these changes implemented,” said BP Oddo. “Eliminating the left turn lanes to create extra through lanes will help traffic flow more easily and safely through this intersection. This is a tangible step to offer Staten Islanders some relief, but we know there is more to do. With Lorraine Grillo now heading up the New York City Department of Design and Construction, I am confident, along with Commissioner Trottenberg and the leadership of Wagner College, we can begin genuine discussions on a capital project that would provide even more assistance to motorists and pedestrians using this corridor. Thank you to the Administration for heeding our call on this and working with us to improve these conditions.”

“City Hall in Your Borough brings government to the grassroots, so we can see problems firsthand and fix them. That’s exactly what we’re doing at this corner,” said Mayor de Blasio. “Working with Borough President Oddo, we’re going to begin construction this fall to make this intersection safer and less congested. We’ll continue working across Staten Island to reach Vision Zero.”

“We were happy to work with the Borough President to make really solid fixes to this intersection,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “We know that left turns are far more dangerous than right turns, and so changes that can eliminate those turns, keep traffic moving and not inconvenience a very large number of drivers are a win-win for everybody.”